


Best Christmas

by GoldenTruth813



Series: Prince Series [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-01
Updated: 2015-12-01
Packaged: 2018-05-02 16:12:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5254823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoldenTruth813/pseuds/GoldenTruth813
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After starting a relationship with Harry, Draco is forced to examine exactly how much he means to him and if he's willing to take that last jump and tell him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Best Christmas

"Anything to drink sir?" A friendly looking air hostess asks Draco as she inches her way down the narrow aisle towards him.

Draco hesitates for only a second, "Gin and tonic please."

"Of course, sir."

"Thank you," Draco says with a nod, downing his drink far quicker than normal and closing his eyes as he drops his head back against the plush seat with a dull thud.

Two weeks. Two weeks since he last laid eyes on Harry.

He'd thought the business trip would be no big deal. He made nearly the same trip every year and it was never a problem. He had always enjoyed the sunshine of the Italian coast, the good wine and friendly people. In fact it usually seemed like more of a vacation than actual work and the last two years this same trip had been the highlight of his entire year.

Except not this year. This year it felt like it had dragged on forever, and it had definitely felt a lot more like work than a holiday.

Instead of basking in the sunshine and time away from home it had only made him miss the sight of Harry back in London bundled up in a thick jumper, his hair peeking out from beneath an equally thick knit beanie, and wearing that horrid red and gold striped scarf he seemed oddly attached to.

And rather than savoring the copious amounts of free wine constantly being offered to him it had just left him wanting something more. His stomach had felt strangely unsettled the first few days until, over dinner on the fourth night as the wine was freely flowing over dinner and his companions had begun laughing over a joke he had not paid the least bit of attention too, he had he realized that he couldn't even enjoy his perfectly aged wine or the beautiful sunset off the coast because he somehow missed the bitter taste of that strong ale Harry liked to drink after dinner, and the sight of the sun setting as they sat together in Harry's flat sharing takeaway.

Despite the fact that things felt off he really had tried his very best to enjoy the local culture, stopping for a gelato on his last day in the city center, but instead of the rich sweetness he'd hoped for it somehow tasted bland and icy on his tongue as he watched a few of the children chasing pigeons through the center square.

Instead of enjoying the moment, all he could think about was Teddy and Harry on the last night before he'd left on his bruises trip, boy of them curled up together on the sofa next to Draco completely undignified as they shared a spoon and devoured the small tub of rocky road ice cream. They'd offered him some but he had flat out refused to eat out of the container or share a spoon and they had both just laughed at him. Afterwards, when Teddy was finally fast asleep Draco had instead savored the taste of chocolate on Harry's tongue.

Draco had become so lost in his memory that by the time he came back to himself his own gelato had melted all over his hands and dripped down onto his leg staining his expensive trousers. And still the only thing he could think about was green eyes and a warm laugh.

These trips had always felt like a luxury; an escape from his dreary and predictable life. Only this time he knows the real reason he can't enjoy it is because the only thing he truly wants is waiting for him back home. He'd always gone on these trips with the idea that he was going somewhere better, but with Harry waiting for him at home he knows that is just no longer the case.

Draco spends the last few days of his trip busying himself as much as possible with his work and by the time he finally makes it to the airport he doesn't think he can ever remember a time where he has been more excited to be going home.

By the time Draco's flight touches ground he is restless and agitated, and he thinks he's had far more than his fair share of free alcohol in first class.

"Never again," he mutters to himself, closing his eyes and trying not to get carsick as his taxi speeds away towards his flat.

When he finally makes it home he is surprised to see that it's only half past three and his first thought is that he hopes Harry is home. He is just about to knock on Harry's door when he shakes his head, deciding he should at least go home to shower and change first. Besides he thinks, knocking on Harry's door looking disheveled and half drunk while still pulling his suitcase behind him isn't exactly the impression he wants to make because while he feels absolutely mad with need to see Harry again he isn't sure he's comfortable with just how desperate he would look. Feeling suddenly vulnerable he turns around, stepping across the hallway and opening his own flat and heading inside instead.

Nearly two hours later after taking a particularly cold shower in the hopes of sobering himself up and drinking nearly an entire pot of tea Draco thinks he's finally worked up the nerve to knock on Harry's door. On some level Draco knows that it's silly to be nervous. It's just that things had been going so well after their first kiss on Halloween, almost perfectly. Draco had expected some sort of awkwardness or hesitation but instead without even trying they had somehow gone from friends to so much more. And while it had been incredibly fast, they had settled so quickly into an easy level of comfort and trust that Draco isn't sure he has ever shared with anyone else. It makes him feel flustered and unsure and for a man who has prided himself his entire life both on knowing and taking exactly what he wants these are not feelings he is sure he knows how to come to terms with.

So while a part of Draco had known Harry was special from the beginning, had known it might be something more, he hadn't dared to let himself think it might be more than infatuation. Not that soon. Besides he didn't think he had ever truly loved anyone except his parents, and most definitely not someone that he had only been seeing for a few weeks. Yet he cannot deny that his entire trip to Italy had felt wrong and off, as if something were missing. And really the problem is that no matter how much he might try to deny it, Draco knows exactly what was missing.

Steeling his shoulders and forcing his courage to the forefront Draco knocks on the door loudly, jumping in surprise when it's wrenched opened immediately almost as if someone has been sitting by the door waiting for the knock to come.

"Harry-" Draco starts, but his words are cut off as Harry nearly knocks him over, slamming their lips together and wrapping his arms around Draco's waist. It is desperate and hopeful and full of so much yearning it nearly makes Draco weak in the knees.

"Hi," Harry whispers several minutes later, when they're both finally so out of breath that they're forced to pull away long enough to take a breath.

"Hi," Draco whispers back, twirling his fingertips in the hair at the base of Harry's neck.

Harry just smiles at him, as if he could not be more pleased to see him. Draco allows himself a moment to look at the man in front of him, at his soft smile and flushed cheeks, feeling his stomach flutter as Harry's hands slip their way beneath his sweater to stroke the small of his back. He wonders if Harry has any idea the way it soothes his nerves, or if maybe it somehow soothes him too because he looks impossibly content and happy.

And it is in that moment that Draco knows without a shadow of a doubt that he is falling in love with Harry Potter.

 

***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

 

That Friday after several busy days of catching up on everything at work he finally manages to leave the office at a decent time, which is exactly how he finds himself knocking on Harry's door at exactly five o'clock, a bottle of wine in one hand and a bag of takeaway in the other. He shifts his bags, raising his right hand to the door and knocking several times, and it only takes a minute or two before the door is yanked opened and he's met by the sight of a rather disheveled looking Harry.

"You're early!" Harry says, sounding a little breathless and looking more than just a little bit flustered. It takes Draco only a few seconds to notice that Harry is wearing a rather thick and fuzzy Santa hat and that the sound of Christmas Carols are drifting out of his apartment.

"I'm actually five minutes late," Draco says with a sit laugh, torn between confusion and amusement, but his amusement wins out when he notices a patch of glitter on Harry's cheek.

"Bugger, sorry I-"

"Draco!" A small voice shouts as Teddy runs out of the apartment door slamming himself into Draco and nearly knocking him over as he wraps his small arms around his legs. "I missed you! Harry said you were bringing presents!"

"I definitely did not say that."

"Uh huh you told Aunt Hermione last week that when Draco got back you were hoping he was gonna give you something! I heard you! That means presents."

Draco snorts, doing his very best not to laugh.

"I think we've had this discussion about pretending to be asleep when grown ups talk and-"

"You told her you hoped he gave it to you good!" Teddy shouts indignantly, still clinging to Draco's leg.

Draco nearly drops the wine at this, feeling the laughter in his chest bubble up until he is laughing so hard he has to lean against the doorframe to keep himself from falling over. Harry's mouth falls opens and shuts several times as if he can't decide what to say and Draco can't help but take a moment to appreciate the blush on his face.

"Inside! Both of you.....That's just....inside!" Harry mumbles awkwardly, yanking the hat off his head and running his hands through his hair, a nervous habit that Draco has come to find oddly endearing.

"But you did! I heard you!" Teddy says with a pout, begrudgingly stomping back inside. "What's he gonna give you? I want some too it's not nice not to share."

"Trust me Teddy you don't want what I'm gonna give, Harry," Draco says, a smirk playing at his mouth as he deposits the food and wine on the coffee table before moving to stand behind Harry. He wraps his arms around him from behind, pressing a soft kiss to the back of his neck before resting his chin on Harry's shoulder.

"I think he might be around grown ups too much," Harry finally says, clearly forgetting some of his embarrassment as he tilts his head back to rest his cheek against the side of Draco's head.

"It's an only child thing. Reminds me a bit of some of the stories my mother tells about me as a child which is a bit terrifying really. I think I was a bit of a menace. Anyway I see you two have been busy the last few days. It sort of looks like a Christmas bomb went off. You do know that it's only the first of December don't you? Did you buy every decoration in the shops?" Draco asks, for the first time taking in the bright red and green garland strung along the fireplace, and the tiny stars dangling from the ceiling. Scattered throughout the room are tiny baubles; little statutes of Father Christmas, funny little happy elves, or brightly wrapped miniature presents hidden among the bookshelves and strewn along the mantle. Despite the fact that there is already quite an obscene amount of decorations already out, far more than Draco would have ever have thought one flat could possibly need, he notices there are still several full boxes still waiting to be unpacked.

Harry shrugs, pulling Draco's arms around him tighter as they watch Teddy rummage through one of the larger boxes of decorations on the floor.

"Teddy wanted to decorate early so it was all I could do to get him to wait until today. Besides I always want to make things special for him. I don't want him to have holidays like I had."

"Boring Christmases?" He asks in a teasing tone, stroking his hand down Harry's jumper, just beginning to pick up on the subtle hint of tension spreading through Harry's body.

"Not exactly. I...well I told you I was an orphan, that I was raised by my mums family. What I didn't tell you was that they didn't make any secret of letting me know they never wanted me and that I most certainly wasn't a part of their famiy. Not really. And at Christmas, well they always put on such a big spectacle of it for the neighbors and my uncles business partners and made such a big deal of it for Dudley. I used to always write to Father Christmas hoping he might bring me a new family that loved me."

By the time Harry is done speaking his voice has gone very quiet, almost drowned out by the radio playing in the corner. Draco glances over to be sure that Teddy is still occupied with unpacking his box of Nutcrackers before turning Harry around in his arms and pulling him into a tight hug. He has so many questions, but he thinks that perhaps now isn't exactly the time.

"S'fine. I'm over it now," Harry mumbles into his neck, but he does not pull out of the embrace and Draco can't help but think perhaps he isn't quite as over it as he would like to him to believe.

"This will be a good Christmas," he whispers into the top of Harry's head, and it is not a statement but a promise.

 

***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

 

Over the next two weeks Draco finds himself enjoying the holiday season more than he can ever remember. Sure he'd always enjoyed the holiday before, and he had always delighted in the gifts and the Christmas feast but this year feels so very different. This year he finds himself inexplicably humming along to the Christmas Carols playing in the supermarket, or putting boxes of candy canes in his trolley despite the fact that he doesn't even like peppermint, and he even finds himself buying a tiny packet of freshly cut mistletoe.

Sure Draco has always appreciated a beautiful Christmas tree or a well placed bit of garland on a mantlepiece but he'd never really given much thought to decorating his own flat before and instead had always chosen to enjoy the decor at his parents home. Only this year he finds his own flat slowly filling up with different odds and ends as Teddy repeatedly sneaks tiny Father Christmases or tacky little nutcrackers in, because the fact that Draco's flat is not decorated seems to offend Teddy's tiny sensibilities. And despite the fact that he would never admit it, every time he finds something new that Teddy has somehow managed to smuggle in and hide he feels a tiny surge of happiness.

He'd never been bothered by the lack of personalization or decorations in his apartment before. In fact he'd once prided himself on his minimalist and streamlined style. Yet the more time he spends at Harry's flat, so full of life and personality with every single available space covered in a photo or a memento to remind him of somewhere he's been or someone he loves, Draco can't help but find his own place lacking. While Draco's flat is beautiful it doesn't necessarily feel lived in, but Harry's already feels so much like home. Which is why he finds himself drawn there more and more, and despite the fact that they live only across the hall, by the time that it is almost Christmas Draco finds the only thing he does use his own flat for anymore is sleeping and showering.

It almost boggles Draco's mind when he realizes that in just the seven short weeks he has been seeing Harry it already looks more like Draco lives at Harry's flat than at his own where he's lived for almost two years. He doesn't even know how it happened just realized one day not long after their first that kiss there was always a place set for him at Harry's table whether they had plans or not and a few days later his favorite tea had somehow found its way into Harry's cupboard and then one day he'd noticed that Harry had cleared a spot by the front door for Draco's shoes and coat, so that it hung up right next to Harry's and Teddy's, as if he belonged there.

Draco wants to attribute it all to the holiday season, as if the copious amounts of sweets and mulled wine and sappy Christmas songs have gone to his head. But he knows it isn't any of the superficial things about the holiday, that it's just Harry (and Teddy too), that have made his heart feel full to bursting .

 

***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~***

 

Draco stands in the hallway feeling nervous and awkward as he knocks on Harry's door. It takes just a few minutes before Harry is opening the door and Draco feels that all too familiar feeling like his heart is being squeezed when he sees Harry standing there in his flannel pajama bottoms and long sleeved shirt, a small strip of tan skin peeking out at his hipbone where his shirt has ridden up and his hair is even more chaotic than usual.

"Hey I wasn't expecting you this morning," Harry says, but he looks so pleased that Draco feels like this is definitely going to be a good idea.

"I'm actually not here to see you," he admits trying not to laugh at the dumbfounded look on Harry's face.

"Er, then who are you-"

"Teddy. I wanted to take Teddy Christmas shopping," he blurts out, suddenly wondering if this is such a good idea after all. He knows he should've asked earlier but he figured if he had brought it up before he might've lost his nerve.

"You want to take Teddy Christmas shopping?" Harry says the rods very slowly and though he still looks a little bit confused there is a rather adorable smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Yes well I had some shopping to do today and I thought perhaps Teddy would enjoy coming along."

This time the smile that was previously threatening to break out on Harry's face appears in full force as he steps forward, wrapping his arms around Draco and kissing him gently.

Nearly an hour later Draco finds himself standing at the corner of Piccadily Center. He looks down at the tiny hand in his and takes a steadying deep breath as they make their way down the crowded street dodging the other shoppers all looking frantic and weighed down with too many shopping bags.

"So, Teddy, where should we go first?"

"Can we go to a toy store?"

"We can look but I got very firm instructions from Harry that I wasn't to buy you a single toy. We're only looking."

"Sure, just looking," Teddy says and Draco can't help but feel that Teddy has agreed to that far too easily.

Sure enough, forty minutes later when Draco and Teddy finally emerge from the toy store Teddy is clutching a stuffed dragon rather possessively and grinning from ear to ear.

"Thank you, Draco!" He yells, reaching out to take Draco's hand again and beginning to hop up and down excitedly.

"You're very welcome, Teddy. But I don't know what Harry is going to say," he says, not sure if he should laugh or feel embarrassed about his inability to tell Teddy no when he'd looked at him and mumbled 'but it's a dragon like your name and I can hug it and think of you'. He thinks Harry really should've warned him better against the power of tiny brown eyes and a hopeful smile.

"Oh Harry won't be mad. Harry never gets mad at me."

Draco stops walking abruptly, ignoring the people bustling around them and bending down to get closer to Teddy. "So....you know Harry well right? Really well?"

Teddy nods, hugging the dragon closer to his chest. "Harry says I'm his favorite," he whispers, looking very proud.

"I'm sure you are. And I bet you know all kinds of things about Harry. Like...perhaps what he wants for Christmas."

"Oh yeah I know all kinds of things Harry wants."

"And what kind of things do you think Harry might like?" Draco finally asks, not quite believing he is asking a five year old what to buy. Only he has a sneaking suspicion that Teddy really does know what Harry might like and unlike years past where he'd bought his friends and family expensive trinkets, this time he finds himself drawing a blank, completely unable to think of what to buy the other man.

Every single thing he's thought of to buy Harry has seemed impractical or overly extravagant, exactly the types of gifts he usually prides himself on giving, and yet exactly what he doesn't want to give this time. Despite the fact that Harry lives in the same luxury apartment building as him, and therefore must not be wanting for money in the least, he is the exact opposite of pretentious and Draco does not think that Harry would be at all impressed by an expensive gift. For the first time he can ever remember Draco has spent countless hours trying to figure out exactly what he might give Harry that could convey even one tenth of what he feels for the other man.

"Yeah. Yeah I know what Harry wants. Only.....only-" but Teddy stops, looking down at his dragon again.

"Did you maybe overhear what Harry wants when you were listening to a conversation you weren't supposed to hear?" He asks, trying not to smile.

Teddy nods, looking rather guilty.

"I'll tell you what. If you tell me what Harry wants for Christmas I promise not tell him how I found out. It can be our secret, ok?"

"Pinky promise?"

"What's that?"

Teddy looks scandalized, reaching out and linking his pinky finger with Draco's. "You gotta swear on a pinky promise you won't tell! It's the biggest promise there is!"

Draco does his best to look properly shocked as he awkwardly shakes his pinky with Teddy's. "I promise not to tell Harry you were listening to him."

Teddy waits a minute as if sizing Draco up before he starts to speak. "The last day before you came back home I was hiding behind the door when Aunt Hermione came over to visit. They were talking about you lots. I'm not sure what some of it meant but Harry looked real happy. Sometimes when Harry thinks no one is looking he looks sad, but he always looks happy when he talks about you!"

He looks up at Draco who just nods as if urging him to continue, willing down the lump in his throat.

"Anyway Aunt Hermione asked him what he wanted for Christmas and he said you."

"That's all he said?" Draco asks, feeling his heart start to beat faster. It doesn't help him figure out what to give Harry but it certainly goes a long way in reassuring Draco that he isn't the only one falling fast.

Teddy just nods. "Yup."

"So Harry didn't say anything else then?"

Teddy makes an irritated noise at him and Draco has to blink several times because if he didn't know better he'd swear Teddy rolled his eyes at him. "You know for a grown up you're not very smart sometimes."

Draco opens and shuts his mouth several times not at all sure how he's supposed to respond to that. It's on the tip of his tongue to say something that's probably a bit more sarcastic than necessary for a little kid when Teddy starts to speak again, "Aunt Hermione said something though."

Draco just holds his breath, waiting.

"She told Harry it was ok if he loved you. He tried to say something but she made him be quiet. Aunt Hermione does that a lot, she's real good at getting Harry and Uncle Ron to be quiet. But then she told him she didn't need him to say anything because she wasn't blind Harry James Potter. Harry always listens good when she uses his middle name. And then they hugged a lot but I dunno why. Does that help?"

"Yeah, Teddy. Yeah you helped a lot," he tells him, taking his hand as they finally begin walking down the street again. .

 

***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

 

It is nearly a week later, on the last Saturday before Christmas when Draco finds himself standing in the middle of the park on an early Saturday morning, desperately clutching at his paper cup full of tea trying to absorb it's warmth and bouncing up and down as if that might keep the frigid air at bay. It is so cold that he cannot for one moment remember why he'd willingly come outside.

"Stop, stop! You've caught me!" Harry shouts, dramatically collapsing back into the snow with a loud thud. At Harry's laughter Draco feels a smile break out on his face as he watches Teddy pounce onto Harry's chest depositing a rather large pile of snow on top of him.

"Ah! That's cold! He's going to kill me!" Harry shouts, pretending to try and get away from Teddy who has has fallen off of Harry's chest and is now laying sideways in the snow laughing so hard It looks like he's forgotten how to breathe. When Harry realizes Teddy isn't running away he crawls towards him on all fours, and Draco wonders how on earth neither one of them seem as cold as he is.

"Aha! Victory will be mine! Harry yells happily, scooping Teddy up into his arms easily and running circles around Draco. "I've caught the Dragon!"

"I'm not a Dragon!" Teddy laughs, clutching at Harry's neck.

Harry stops running, turning his head just slightly to look at Teddy with a very serious expression. "But I'm the knight. I'm supposed to catch Dragons. If you aren't the Dragon then who is?"

Draco gets a sinking feeling in his stomach as Teddy turns two gleeful brown eyes on him, a wicked smile on his face as he points towards Draco and shouts "He is!"

"Oh no!" Draco yells, holding up both hands but it's too late because Harry has already set Teddy down in the snow and is walking towards Draco with a look that he thinks could only be described as predatory.

"I haven't played in the snow since I was nine years old."

"Teddy says your the Dragon," Harry replies, as if that answers everything, just a few feet away from Draco now.

Draco looks around the empty park, taking in the vast amounts of fresh snow, along with s decided lack of anywhere he might escape too. "Bugger!" Draco yells, dropping his cup of tea and taking off at a run at the exact moment that Harry bounds towards him.

"I'm going to get you!" Harry shouts, and Draco can only thank his lucky stars that he is a bit faster than he looks. They continue like that for so long that Draco is nearly out of breath, his face hot and flushed and his boots now soaking wet and full of snow as he dodges this way and that effectively slipping out of Harry's grasp every time. He's doing so well that after a few minutes of chanting 'catch him, Harry!' Teddy has switched to 'You can do it, Draco! Run!' And the tiny voice of encouragement seems to spur him on even more and gives him another burst of momentum.

It takes him a moment to notice that Harry isn't chasing him anymore and when he turns around to find out why he catches sight of Harry quite a few feet back doubled over with his hands on his knees as he tries to catch his breath. Draco is about to turn around and make sure he is ok when a rather wicked thought crosses his mind and without letting himself consider it further he takes off running, slamming into Harry full force and knocking them both back into the snow.

Harry lets out a loud shout, grabbing onto Draco instinctively and groaning when they crash into the ground. Harry blinks up at him a few times, an indiscernible expression on his face as he stares at Draco as if he's never seen him before he opens his mouth and begins to laugh. It takes Draco a moment to appreciate the absurdity of the situation as he sits sprawled across of Harry, crushing them both into the freezing snow but when he does he starts to laugh too, finding Harry's laughter all the more contagious.

Seconds later another small body slams into them both, knocking Draco over and leaving them all tangled up in a pile in the snow. Draco drops his head back onto Harry's shoulder, staring up into the sky as tiny flurries of snow begin to fall down around them. He can feel Harry's heart nearly beating out of his chest against his back, feel Harry's ice cold fingers curling into his own as Teddy sprawls across them both laughing and talking a mile a minute, and he feels his own heart quiver in response.

Draco is sore and wet and freezing cold, and he does not think he has ever been happier in his life.

"So I guess you caught me after all," Harry whispers, bringing their hands up towards Draco's chest and hugging him tightly from behindnas Teddy climbs off them both, wandering a few feet away and plopping down to try and build a snowman.

"Yes well Teddy misjudged me."

"Oh yeah and how's that?"

"I wasn't a Dragon. I'm a Prince. And we always get what we're after."

"Oh yeah and what are you after, oh high and mighty Prince?" Harry asks, his voice playful as he runs his fingertips over the top of Draco's hand.

"My happily ever after," Draco answers, glad Harry cannot see his face. He feels more than hears the catch in Harry's breathing at his words, feels Harry's exhale a deep and shuddering breath.

"And did you find what you wanted?" He whispers.

"Yes," Draco says honestly, and he doesn't need to see Harry to know that he is smiling because he can feel it against the back of his neck as Harry kisses him over and over again, squeezing his hand.

 

***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

 

The following week passes by in a bit of a blur for Draco who feels as if some sort of line has been crossed following that day in the snow. Not that he could explain it if he tried, because things with Harry were certainly wonderful before, but now it's almost as if some sort of barrier has been crossed; as if both of them have in some unspoken way admitted how they feel without actually saying the words. He hadn't realized he was holding back, nor that Harry had been too. And though neither of them have actually said the word Love it's still in every thing they do and every time that they touch, and he finds the sudden freedom he feels reflected back to him on Harry's face.

He finds that he no longer feels the need to pretend to need to use his own apartment, instead spending each night at Harry's and delighting in the freedom he feels falling asleep and waking up next to him. He also finds that he can't quite decide if he likes middle of the night sex or morning sex or we just had sex so we need a shower but I want you to fuck me against the tile wall sex the most thrilling. Although truthfully, he finds that he likes the falling asleep curled up side by side or sharing a cup of tea over the morning paper just as much as the sex which he decides doesn't actually surprise him, because he can no longer deny how he feels and it is so much more than just sex.

Draco is absolutely and irrevocably in love with Harry.

He loves the way he laughs, and the sound of his voice; the way he tells stories and the way he listens to everything Draco says and seems genuinely interested in it too. He loves the way Harry looks with his hair fanned out across the pillow with his mouth hanging open while he sleeps, or the way he looks pressed up against the shower wall dripping wet and whimpering. He likes the way Harry looks for him across the room, as if reassuring himself that Draco is still there and smiling at him every time he catches his eye as if Draco's presence alone were something to be thankful for.

He likes the way he fits into Harry and Teddy's lives, the way they go to the public library on Friday afternoons after Harry gets him from his grandmothers before they go out for sweets. Or the way they pick up takeaway and eat it together in the kitchen swapping stories about their week that night. Or the way Draco and Teddy plop onto the couch on Saturday mornings while Harry makes stacks of pancakes with too much syrup, and how Harry always makes his tea extra strong those mornings.

And it isn't just the things that he loves about Harry or Teddy, but the things they make him love about himself. It is a feeling of being wanted and needed, as if he somehow came into their lives and filled a hole. He finds himself both thrilled and terrified to realize not only how much they mean to him, but how much he thinks he can already see that he means to them.

Which is why, on Christmas Eve as he sits on the couch sipping his warm mug of mulled wine and watching Harry help Teddy finish up his letter to Father Christmas he feels more calm than he can ever remember. The Christmas music is playing softly in the background as the fire crackles and every few minutes Harry looks up at him and smiles, some sort of small secret smile that makes Draco feel flushed and tingly and that he knows has nothing to do with the large amount of alcohol he is consuming.

"There done!" Teddy says happily, taking his letter and setting it down next to the fireplace. "That way he won't miss it."

"I'm sure Father Christmas will love it."

"Can we hang the stockings now, Harry? Please! It's almost Christmas!"

Harry grins at his exuberance, and Draco watches as he goes over to the the closet by the door and pulls out a small box, carrying it towards Teddy and setting it down near the fireplace.

"We always hang them right before bed, Draco! That way Father Christmas knows I'm here! Otherwise he might think I was with grandma but Harry says as long as you hang up your stocking then he knows where to leave your presents."

"Is that so?" Draco says with a laugh.

Teddy nods seriously before grabbing his stocking and a tiny hook out of the box. Harry lifts him up, helping him hang it before Teddy grabs the one with Harry's name on it and hangs it up next to his.

"Now for Draco's!" Teddy shouts happily, digging into the box and pulling out another stocking that is a lovely striped red and green, almost as if it were made to match the other two. Draco is glad he is already sitting down because he suddenly feels a bit lightheaded.

"You got me a stocking?" He asks, gulping down the last of his mulled wine. "Did Teddy pick it out?"

"Harry got it! Harry says we gotta put them up for family." Teddy says.

"I hope you don't mind I just thought-"

"I love it," Draco answers, his eyes catching Harry and whatever it is that Harry sees on his face must please him because he lets out a deep breath, smiling as he lifts Teddy up to hang the last one.

"What do you think?" Teddy yells happily, running across the room to pounce into Draco's lap.

"I think it's perfect."

 

***~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

 

Hours later when Teddy is finally tucked into bed, and the fire is down to just a few crackling embers, Draco can't help but look around and realize just how late it's gotten. The radio is still playing softly in the background and Harry seems to be half asleep, curled up against his chest on the sofa.

"It's getting late, I should probably head home," Draco whispers softly, threading his fingers through Harry's hair. And he isn't sure why he says it all the sudden, because he hasn't been back to his own apartment in days anyway. But something about the moment seemed too perfect, as if he were in someone else's life, and he couldn't stop the sudden panic that he might be overstepping just the smallest bit by being there on Christmas morning when it's always just been Teddy and Harry.

Harry stirs quite quickly at that, rolling onto his stomach in between Draco's legs so his chin rests on Draco's chest and he blinks up at Draco with a frown. "You want to leave?"

"Well I just thought that you might like to keep your Christmas morning traditions."

"Draco," Harry starts, shifting his body until he is sitting up on the couch next to him "it wasn't something we started because we wanted to be alone. It was always me and Teddy because there was no one else I trusted to be a part of that, to be a part of our lives."

"Oh."

"Yeah...just...wait here," Harry mumbles before leaping off the couch and padding down the hallway towards his bedroom. It takes a few minutes before he returns and when he does he is carrying a small green box with a silver bow. He doesn't say anything for a few seconds just stares at it before setting it down in Draco's lap. "Open this."

"But it's not Christmas yet."

"Sure it is. It's just past midnight that counts."

Draco doesn't answer, just nods his head slightly and lifts the small box up. With shaking hands he slips off the ribbon and pops the box open, wondering if he looks as surprised as he feels when he sees the tiny unassuming key sitting inside.

"I wasn't sure I was gonna be able to work the courage up to give it to you."

"Is this what I think it is?"

Harry laughs, and Draco is surprised to realize he can tell just how nervous he is from the sound of his laughter. "It's a key. I want you to move in. It already feels like you live here but every morning I wake up and remember that you don't, not really, and that you could go home at any moment but I don't want you too. I don't want to worry that I might not see you that day or that you might go home because I don't want to spend another day afraid of admitting what I think we are, of not saying...not saying that I want to spend my life with you and I know it's crazy and it hasn't been that long but that you make my life better and you're funny and you're gorgeous and you're so good with Teddy and you're good with me. We're good together, Draco. And....I love you."

Draco waits until Harry is done speaking to look up, because he is afraid of what he might say or do if he does and he wanted so desperately for Harry to finish.

"I love you too," and the words are barely out of his mouth before Harry is pining him back into the couch kissing him. Harry's hands are frantic, shoving up his sweater before moving up to tangle in his hair as Harry half laughs and half whimpers into Draco's mouth as they kiss. It's messier than their other kisses, both of them somehow almost clumsy and shy again as if this is something new, and in a way Draco supposes it is.

Later, when things are calm again and they are both tangled together on the sofa falling asleep to the soft sounds of the crackling fire and the twinkling tree lights, Draco thinks this might be his best Christmas yet.


End file.
